Artificial leg.



V L. MILL-ER.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLIOATIOE FILED APlLze. 1914.

1,113,366. Patented Oct. 13, 1914 V v VETR L- FULLER @JJWA ss mm/ VETAL. MILLER, OF CHEYENNE, WYOMING.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1 3 1014 Application filed April 29, 1914. Serial No.835,224.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VETA vL. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cheyenne, in the county of Laramie and State of Wyoming,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to artificial legs.

- All wearers of artificial legs are familiar with the difiicultyencountered in attempting to remove the trousers leg over the foot, orto change the shoe, this being due to the fact that the foot will notyield so as to permit the trousers readily to be slipped over it, andfor the same reason it is exceedingly difficult to position a shoe onthe foot,

The object of the present invention, is in a ready and practical mannerso to construct an artificial leg as to enable the wearer thereof toremove the foot without detaching the socket from the limb, s thatshould he desirc to change his trousers or shoes no more trouble wouldbe encouatered than would be by a person whose limbs are intact.

ith the above and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists, gencrally stated,in an artificial leg embodying a two-part socket, the members of whichare arranged for telescopic connection, and one of which carries thefoot, means being provided whereby the foot carrying section of thesocket may readily be detached from the leg engaging section, thus topermit removal of the trousers, or to combine a dress shoe with the leg.\Vith the arrangement eniploycd, any form of artificial leg may be used,it only being necessary to divide the socket at any point above the lineof the shoe top and connect the two sections by a telescopic joint,combined with which are spring atches or latches which will operate tohold the leg sections assembled and permit of their ready disconnectionwhen desired.

Further and more specific details of coir strut-tion will be hereinafterfully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts; thefigure is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of an artificialleg equipped with the in'iprovcments of the presentinvention. I

In describing the invention, the construction of the leg will be givenonly general terms, as the invention will be applicable to any style ofleg, whether it be for one used in amputations above or below the knee.In the present instance the latter form of leg is shown, and the socketis exhibited as constructed of two sections 1 and L, the meeting pointof the two sections being at or slightly above the line of the top ofthe shoe. The upper or leg engaging section has secured around its lowerend, as by rivets or the like, a metallic collar 3 which is designed totelescope snugly within a sleeve 4 carried by the foot carrying section2, the sleeve being constructed of metal, and secured to the leg sectionby rivets or the like. The section 2 is provided with the usual bridgepiece 5 with which connects the upper ends of tendons 6 and 7, the lowerends of the tendons being, as usual. secured in the foot. 8, and thetendon 7 having combined with it an ordinary extensor spring 9. The footis provided with the usual socket 10 to which is hinged the lower end ofa frame member 11, the upper end of which is rigidly secured to theinner wall of the section below the bridge piece. As will be seen, bythis arrangement all of the working parts of the foot are below thepoint of juncture between the two socket sections, so that it will notrequire any disconnection of any of the working parts to remove the footand socket member 2 from the socket member 1.

Any suitable means may be employed for holding the two leg sectionsfirmly assembled when the collar and sleeve are telescoped, that in thepresent instance consisting of the provision of two spring catches 12,which may be arranged at the front and back of the leg section 1, or atthe sides thereof. and are firmly secured thereto. the lower ends of thecatches being provided with orifices 13 to receive pins 14 carried bythe sleeve 4. It is designed that the contact between the sleeve andcollar shall be a snug one, so that the two parts of the socket will beprevented from having any wabbling motion, so that undue wear betweenthe parts will be eliminated, and unpleasant noises avoided.

It is to be understood, of course, that the 110 invention will not belimited to the precise arrangement shown, as it will be obvious that thedisposition of the parts could be reversed, that is to say, the collarcould be placed upon the section 2 and the sleeve upon the section 1,and the latches secured to the former section, and still secure theobject sought, and as this will be evident, detailed illustrationthereof is omitted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An artificial leg comprising a two-part socket one of which carries afoot, and means for detachably connecting the parts whereby to removethe foot from the socket proper when the latter is in place.

2.. An artificial. leg comprising a two-part socket one of which carriesa foot, a sleeve secured around one of the sections, a collar securedaround the other section and arranged to receive the sleeve, and lockingmeans carried by one of the sections and coacting with the sleeve toprevent accidental disconnection of the parts. a

3. In an artificial leg, a leg socket composed of two sections, one ofwhich carries a foot, a sleeve secured exteriorly of the upper end ofthe foot section, a collar surrounding the lower end of the leg sectionand arranged to be received in the sleeve, spring catches carried by theleg section, and pins or studs carried by the sleeve to engage with thespring catches.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

VETA L. MILLER.

' Witnesses:

J. B. POLLARD, CHAS. l3. BAILEY.

Copiel o1 thil patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

